Learning, Being, Serving in Quito, Ecuador: Update and Xmas festivities

The Latest from Quito

December 2013

Hey Everyone!

Merry Christmas! I hope this Christmas season is bringing you lots of joy. Let me try to catch you up on what has been happening recently in my life. The last few months have been a mix of many different enriching and fulfilling experiences as well as challenges and difficult moments. I am very grateful to have been surrounded by so many wonderful people throughout all of these experiences.

Let´s start in October with some of the highlights. In late October, 12 of us from Quito Mennonite Church attended a two and a half day training on trauma and self-care given by Paul Stucky from Bogotá, Colombia. It was wonderful time of learning, sharing, reflection and rejuvenation. Also, at the end of September and in mid-October we welcomed two refugee families that were sent by the Colombian Mennonite Church. They are currently living in two of our rented refugee apartments and are participating actively in one of the new start-up churches in Quito. They´ve faced many challenges in trying to adapt to a new life in Quito and are currently struggling with unemployment and sickness. Please pray for them and the many other refugee families that are struggling to get by this Christmas season.

During the month of November, I was in the U.S. giving presentations as part of my North American Ministry. I was able to speak at Weavers Mennonite Church, Virginia Mennonite Missions and Community Mennonite Church in Harrisonburg. I also had the privilege of speaking to a 7^th grade class at my brother Timothy´s school in Camden, NJ and my brother Nate´s 3^rd grade class in Goshen, IN. I felt incredibly supported in all of the presentations and was grateful for the moments to share about my experiences. I was also able to visit lots of family and friends. It was wonderful to see so many great people. Thanksgiving at my Grandma´s house with lots of family was a notable highlight—needless to say, I came back to Ecuador with a few extra pounds on me. J

December has been a busy month with lots of Christmas related activities. We had a great Christmas Peace Education workshop with over 80 kids and lots of fun activities! For our Christmas church service on the 22nd, I assumed the challenge of being this year’s choir director for the magnificent “Mennonite choir”. After lots of practicing, we prepared three Christmas songs and were able to sing with different harmonies! We also had a fun youth retreat on the 20^th and 21^st at a small retreat center outside of Quito. We had 14 youth participate from the churches, 6 Ecuadorians and 8 Colombians, plus Wendy, Caleb Yoder and myself as sponsors. We had a great time playing capture the flag, making a bonfire, playing games, playing soccer, competing in “A Minute to Win It” challenges and listening to an interesting presentation about women’s rights from an invited guest. December also gave us the opportunity to do a little something special for a few refugee families from the church. With lots of help from Wendy (the MCC volunteer working a year in Quito), the Refugee Project wrapped up special food baskets with a Christmas card to bring a little joy to families who are far from home.

Another major activity that we’ve been working on recently is what we are calling the “Programa de Apoyo a la Economía Familiar-PAEF” or “Support Program for the Family Economy”. It’s an initiative we are starting as part of the refugee project with hopes of being able to provide a way for families to earn an income. As a project, we are buying school supply items and small beauty products (hair bands, mirrors, chap stick, earrings, etc) in bulk. Those items are then put together in packets that cost $0.50 cents to make. We will then distribute/sell the packets to families that can resell the packets on the street for a dollar and earn $0.50 per packet. We are currently in the process of writing up the project and thinking through the policies and processes so that it will hopefully be sustainable. The plan is to have families start to participate in early 2014. Please pray for this program as we continue to get things ready. We are excited to start and would be thrilled to be able to provide an income for families through this program.

Other prayer requests:

-Please pray for the pastoral transition at Quito Mennonite Church. The front running candidate to be the new pastor will be visiting Quito in January 2014.

-Please pray for the 2 new church plants in Quito. May they continue to serve others in their respective neighborhoods and have the leadership they need to thrive.

-Please pray for the refugee families who will face hardship during this Christmas season.